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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Cooking with Kelly: Parmesan-crusted tilapia

I love carbs. I would eat only carbs if I could. Alas, when you're trying to squeeze into a white dress, carbs are not your friend. So when we were ramping up to the wedding, I tried to like fish. I found liking fish was easier when it looked more like chicken. And I missed carbs less when I could eat something crunchy (think about it -- when you're cutting carbs, nothing is crunchy).

With this dish, not only is it crunchy and not so fishy, but the creamy cheesy crust is really satisfying. I can't say the crust is particularly healthy, but it is low-carb.

Here's how it goes:

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons mayonaise

1 Tablespoon lemon juice (I used fresh because I have several, several bags of frozen lemons from wedding centerpieces)

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

4-6 tilapia fillets

Mix all ingredients together until fully incorporated. Place the fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Put underneath your preheated broiler. I set mine to high, but each oven is different, so keep an eye on it.

Broil the fish on the oven rack closest to the broiler for about three minutes. Remove the baking sheet and flip all the fillets, then bake for another three minutes. The fish should flake easily.

Remove the tray and flip one more time. Evenly divide the topping over the fillets and top with a healthy amount of fresh pepper (I like a Royal blend of black, green and rose-colored peppercorns). Bake for two minutes or until the topping is brown and golden.